Here’s your exclusive first look at the book’s cover, illustrated by Jor Ros.
How is this your first time writing a novel in the genre?
LILLIAM RIVERA:Can you believe it?
Bloomsbury
I’ve re-read them and others like those while working on this draft.
Was that the impulse behind writing this book?
Their excitement showing me their photos really captivated me.
Can you tell us a bit about the book’s cover and what you like about it?
What I loved about Jor Ros, the illustrator, is that his work is so futuristic.
He did the cover of one of my favorite novels,Patron Saints of Nothing, by Randy Ribay.
I felt like he really captured the young-adult feel of my novel without it being too science-fictiony.
Which characters are which on the cover, and what can you share about who they are?
He’s trying to hide the fact that his family is homeless.
If Rafa looks a bit like the lead singer from Chicano Batman, that’s no coincidence.
Adding the science-fiction element plus the role of racial and socioeconomic dynamics really interested me.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
